Time Ticks for Everyone [Blaez]

Mae, having the day off on a sunday, walked around the streets of San Malarus. Her destination? A little café not too far away from the streets of Old Town. At this paticular Café, a friend of hers worked full time, unlike the pinkette herself. This friend in paticular was of course none other than Ayane Masuo. Mae usually popped her head in during coffee breaks and such, or when she had her days off, just to support her friend at work. The cafe wasn't super active at this time of day, having maybe one or two customers at one time, maybe three if they were lucky, so Ayane had a pretty chill time there, being able to talk with Mae as the latter munched on the snack of her choosing.

Today was of course no different, with the exception of there being slightly more people there than usual, due to it being a day off for most people, and all that. With pep in her step, Mae made it eventually to the café, only to see Ayane there, talking with someone on the phone. "...Are you coming then? Splendid! I'll get something ready for you when you get here. Love you~! Byeee~!" The girl hung up shortly afterwards, noticing Mae had arrived. "Blaez, huh?" Mae asked with a smile. The pigtailed girl nodded in response. "Mhm! He's coming here soon-ish." It was really nice to see the two getting along so well. Since the day the concert was held, and Ayane eventually told Mae of this relationship, Mae had observed the two from a distance, metaphoriaclly speaking. She had of course kept in touch with both Blaez and Ayane over these last two years, and so far... it seemed that their relationship was still rather healthy. Impressive. So much so it made the pinkette slightly jealous of her two friends... But she was moreso happy for them both.


"Now, what will it be today?" Ayane asked the girl with a cheerful smile. "A latte and a cinnamon bun, thank you." Mae replied politely, as she took a seat at one of the various tables that were systematically placed all around the café. The pinkette could hear Ayane off behind the counter, humming something whilst pouring up Mae's latte. She would eventually return with it and the bun, before sitting down on the chair on the opposite end of the table."How're the kids doing?" Ah, she was obviously asking about the kids back at the orphanage. "Good. Kevin's up to no good as per usual. Kayle just returned to school last week, so she's mostly busy with homework... Homework that I have to help her with, mind you. Not that it's too big of an issue for me. Especially not since she's only a first-grader." Mae replied proudly. Kayle was her pride and joy there. The two had really clicked since Mae had started working there. The poor kid lost both her parents to Ananke two years ago. It was a miracle the kid managed to survive. In fact, it was Mae who volounteered herself to take care of the kid as her guardian until someone wished to adopt her. A great degree of responsibility rested on the musician's shoulders, and she knew that. "Oh, that's great to hear. I've always been fond of Kayle." Mae nodded. "Yeah, Kay's a nice kid." The two would keep chatting until something else popped up... be it a customer or otherwise.

"... Yeah... Love you too."It was Ayane, they have been dating for about two years, she was away from Azores for a few months but eventually moved back to the region. This time she had invited him to meet her at the cafe where she works, she also had mentioned Mae, a friend of the couple, if it wasn't for Mae the two would never meet each other.

Many minutes after their phone call Blaez had arrived in the block where the Café was located by taxi, in silence he payed the taxi driver, left the car and started to walk toward the cafe. He immediately spotted the duo upon arriving the establishment, instead of calling them to get their attention he would slowly try to sneak on Ayane, once he was close enough he'd cover her eyes with his hands and said"Guess who?"

Ayane squeaked loudly when Blaez snuck up on her from behind, and covered her eyes. Mae had seen him enter the place, but chose to stay quiet. She didn't wish to ruin the suprise. Seeing the two of them together like this brought a smile upon the pinkette's face. "Blaez~? Is that you?" Ayane asked, chuckling amusedly. She would remove his hands eventually, looking up at him from her seat with a big smile stuck on her face before she quickly stood up and hugged him. She would then drag a chair over to Mae's table. "I'm so glad you could make it~!" Ayane said in a chipper tone as she slowly walked over behind the counter. "Now, then. What would you like to have, sugar?" She asked Blaez. "Coffee? Biscuits? Pie?" Mae took a sip out of her cup as she looked at the two. Ever since that magical moment at the concert, the two had been so happy with eachother.

Once Blaez made his order, Mae spoke up. "Hehe, it's nice to see you, Blaez. Please, have a seat." The pinkette pointed towards the empty chair that Ayane had placed next to her own. The Black-haired woman didn't exactly have anything of her own to eat, she just enjoyed talking to her best friend here. Besides, eating to much sugar and stuff was bad for the figure, not to mention her health. "How've you been lately? It was a while since we last had the chance to really talk." Well, not as long as it had been with the others, but still. It had been a couple of weeks since they last met, and all that, and it was enough of a gap between their last meeting and now that a question like that was warranted.

After exchanging a hug with Ayane, Blaez sat down on the table with Mae."I'll have a black coffee, thank you."He smiled for a brief moment at the woman with pigtails before his face returned to a more neutral expression.

"Hm?I've been busy with college, i don't have much time to hang around as i used to... But i'm fine."College was very demanding but every once in a while he'd find room to hang out with his friends, but he didn't mind it would pay off in the future"What about you?"

"One black coffee coming right up~!" Ayane clapped her hands cheerfully before hurrying over behind the counter to make some for Blaez. The black haired woman started humming on some melody while the black liquid slowly dropped it's way into the White coffee mug.

"Oh, yeah! You wanted to become a marine biologist, right?" Mae asked, taking a sip out of her drink, looking at Blaez with a curious expression. If she did indeed recall correctly, then yes, that was what Blaez was studying for. Two years ago, if someone told her that Blaez would start studying to become a marine biologist, she wouldn't believe a single word. And yet, here he was, studying for exactly that. "Heh, I can imagine. It's quite the big step-up from highschool." The woman took a bite out of her bun, leaning on her left arm as the two kept on conversing. Once the conversation shifted to Mae, she would point at herself. "Me? Oh, not much really. I've been busy at the Orphanage for a while now. The kids there are nice. You know, working there... it puts so much into perspective. Most of the kids I'm taking care of today lost their parents two years ago..." Most notably Malstu's eruption and of course Ananke's attack in Penecia. It really was a miracle that Kayle managed to survive that mess. Sure, she lost her parents as a result, but the girl had made it out without a single scratch. Although some scars run deeper than what one can see on the surface. Call it a sense of duty, or what have you, but that was the sole reason why Mae had taken the job in the first place... Aside from, you know, paying back to society after what she had gone through as a child. She had this connection to these kids, which in all honesty wasn't that suprising, considering she was an orphan herself.

"I see..."No surprise there were causalities caused by the event, with all the chaos that was going on at the time it would have been a surprised if nobody had died at the time"You are softhearted, Mae."Maybe it's because the woman was an orphan too, or maybe she is just that kind, regardless of her reasons, it was a good deed and he respected Mae for that despite not feeling inclined to be as altruistic as she seems to be.

"What about your music career?"Blaez raised an eyebrow in curiosity, he remembered that Mae wanted to follow her adoptive mother footsteps and become a musician just like her.

"Heh, yeah. I guess I am." Mae replied with a lighthearted chuckle. "I guess it's just my way of paying back to society. I was an orphan too, you know? I owe my life to that orphanage in Japan, and I want these kids to live happy lives, just like I did..." That was her two cents in on the subject. Perhaps a bit too deep for casual talk, but Blaez deserved to know at least her reasonings for working at a place like that to begin with. Trust, right?

"Hm? Well, it's more of a hobby right now, or part time job, whatever you prefer to call it. I usually perform at the Wave's Peak and other clubs in San Malarus or Penecia on the weekends." Mae replied with a light shrug. "Perhaps one day, when the scars of the event has vanished from the island, I'll dedicate more of my time to the music I love. Right now though, I feel like it's my responsibilty to take care of the casualties caused by the event..." Ayane was also well aware of Mae's reasoning behind all this, and supported it whole-heartedly. Heck, she managed to persuade the café owner to give the orphans a discount whenever they got here.

Blaez simply nodded at Mae in response to her explanation, it seems he was right after all"I understand, just keep in mind you might not find a home for all of them, so don't blame yourself if it comes to that."It wasn't something nice to talk about, but it was very possible, not all kids are lucky enough to be adopted by a couple.

"..."Blaez just remained in silence for a few moments, she wasn't doing it just out of empathy, she talked about it as if it was her duty to take care of those kids"...Just don't strain yourself."Blaez said quietly as he covered his eyes with his cap's visor before he went silent once again.

"Yeah... Kayle is having issues with finding a home. Moreso due to superstition than anything else. You remember when Ananke attacked the Circus right? Well, Kayle's parents died there... and she was the lone survivor of the family. People think she brings misfortune on others." That was a bit far-fetched, but in some cases it was understandable. Considering how everything about that day was a far cry from anything you'd consider normal, no wonder people were being cautious about her. "It's hard not to... but Kayle's a strong girl. She can handle this." and if it came to it, Mae would just adopt the child herself. She had grown very fond of the little kid at this point, so even seeing her go to another family would leave Mae a little bit empty.

"I... I'll be fine, Blaez." Mae replied, looking out the window, biting her own lip lightly. "There, Blaez! A cup of coffee for you~!" Ayane said chipperly, putting down the small white cup on the table before giving Blaez a light peck on the cheek. "Mae? Is something wrong?" Ayane looked at the pinkette with a raised eyebrow, as she pulled a nearby chair towards the table, finally sitting down next to Blaez. "N-No. It's nothing." Perhaps Blaez knew Mae better than she thought he did. She was one to work extra hard for the things she was passionate about, and the orphans were no exception. She just wanted them to have a good childhood is all...

"That sounds incredibly stupid."He understood that some people were superstitious about things they can't explain, but that's crossing the line"If someone actually thinks a kid can bring misfortune, maybe they don't deserve a child in the first place, there must be a couple smart enough to take her out there."Blaez shrugged"Why don't you adopt her?"He said it with a straight face, it was mostly a joke though.

"Hm?Thanks, Ayane."He gave the girl a light smile before taking a sip from the coffee"This is really good... So, any good news?"He said as he turned his attention to the black haired girl.

"Exactly!" Mae exclaimed with a frown. She agreed there fully. "Sometimes I can't believe people is letting something like that make the decisions for them. Come on, like, it's a little 7 year old girl we're talking about here." A 7 year old girl that could really use a home. Sure, she had adapted rather well to the orphanage, but she needed a real home, with parents that cared for her. Maybe even a sibling? "M-Me...? I mean... I guess I could but... It's against regulations. We don't adopt the kids there ourselves for a good reason... Sure, if no-one's willing to take her, then I guess I don't have much of a choice." Her expression mellowed somewhat. "I... don't know if I'm ready to be a parent just yet..." Maybe she had what it took, but taking on a child full-time was a huge undertaking. Especially considering she lived alone. That meant she had to get food, clothes and all that other stuff for two people instead of just herself, not to mention day-care fees and such when she was off working. Children weren't cheap. But isn't it worth all that money to see your child smile though? To Mae, it sure would have been, if she had the budget for it in the first place.

"You're welcome~!" Ayane replied cheerfully, returning the smile back to Blaez, perhaps a bit more shy than his was. "O-Only the best stuff for you, Blaez~♥" Mae giggled at this little act of nervousness on Ayane's part. "You two are really cute together, you know that, right?" She couldn't help herself. She just had to say it, lest the pinkette would go crazy. "Well... Charles and Jack are both cops now. In Jack's case, I can't say I'm too suprised. You know how he is. Charles... I'm not sure. I guess he just tagged along with Jack. I wonder if this will make things better or worse on the island?" Maybe a little bit of both, considering the two people in question.

He almost felt bad for putting the girl in that position, almost. She really wanted to do her job right, which again, is admirable. He was about to say something else but then another idea sparked in his head"Maybe Ayane and i should adopt Kayle then."He then turned his attention to Ayane and added"What do you think, Aya-chan?"And yet again he said it without emoting, whatever was their reaction he'd wait for it to end before resuming what he had to say. "Jokes aside, i wouldn't worry if i were you. What are the chances that everyone who is seeking to adopt a child is superstitious moron?"He shrugged as he leaned back on his chair.

"Oh..."Jack and Charles as cops... Blaez simply stared blankly at the horizon for a few moments, hearing that somehow made him few less safe."... I'm sure they will do just fine."He then would take another sip as an attempt to hide his shock.

"Oh, that's mighty kind of you to offer, Blaez." Mae replied with a delighted smile, even though she had a feeling he was just messing around. "Eeeeh?! Us, having a kid? Oh, I dunno if I'm ready for that yet, honey." Ayane said with a slightly distressed look on her face. "Yes, that is true... I doubt everyone's like that. If they were, I'd be seriously concerned about the state of Humanity." Indeed... then perhaps having the angels fixing that wouldn't have been such a bad idea. But She had more faith in humanity than that. "They're doing okay thus far, I think... No major slip-ups yet. Not sure how well they are treated at work though. I assume Charles was hired by Quentin due to his nature as a robot. I don't really blame him, honestly. A robot like him could be a valuable asset in crime-fighting. As for Jack... Not sure about how he'll fare..." When she mentioned the former leader of the Rangers, a tinge of worry colored her tone of voice, and with good reason. Unlike Charles, Jack was not as physically hardy, and he took a lot of un-necessary risks, which on it's own was worrisome enough, but his stubborn personality was really the main source of her worries.

"Don't worry Aya, it's not like i want to have kids either."He'd lean back and cover his eyes with the visor of his cap. Blaez doesn't have what it takes to be a father and he knows it, it requires a lot of attention and care, and the student is quite the opposite, besides, he was satisfied with the current state of his relationship with Ayane.

"Pretty sure Charles isn't safe either, the fact he can shrug off bullets could attract a lot of attention if he is not careful... They better have a good plan to cover it up..." He scratched his cheek, perhaps he made things worse.
"... But i'm sure they will be fine, the two might be huge dorks but they are not dumb, right?"He added in an attempt to calm down the pink haired gir.

"Mae..."He just about to ask about Mae's relationship with Charles, but he decided to not touch on the subject and instead talk about something else"...I just wanted to tell you that you're a great friend."Blaez said, scratching the back of his head.

"Oh, Phew... I honestly thought you were serious there for a second." Ayane chuckled awkwardly, pretending that she had known it was a joke all along. "Honestly, I don't think anyone's truly 'ready' for it, Ayane. So don't worry. Anyway, It's too soon for you two to think about that stuff now. Just enjoy the times you have with eachother." The pinkette replied with a bright smile, as she knew very well that children was nothing you could prepare for.

"True... And I dunno how they're honestly planning to deal with that. A man that can shrug off being shot in the shoulder is going to grab unwanted attention eventually." Hopefully it wouldn't get that far. But Charles could defend himself if necessary, so there really wasn't any reason to worry. "Not dumb no. They're just reckless."

"Aww really? Thanks, Blaez. It means a lot to me, hearing you say that." The woman replied with a genuine smile of suprise and delight. "You're a great friend too. A little rough around the edges, but I've learned to look past that." Deep down, he had a heart of gold. Rough on the outside, soft on the inside. No wonder Ayane liked him so much.